PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2001

The Board denied the appeal for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, concluding that the death was due to alcoholism and not related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to verifiable in-service stressors, and thus grants service connection for PTSD.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the criteria for evaluating PTSD. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, left shoulder disorder, and low back disorder were denied. The claim for an increased disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine was also denied.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is appropriate.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a lack of evidence supporting the diagnosis and a failure to provide sufficient information about the claimed in-service stressors.

The VA has established service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30 percent evaluation, but the veteran's symptoms have not warranted a higher rating since the effective date of the grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed in-service stressors and participation in combat. The case will be returned to the RO with instructions to obtain relevant service records, verify the stressors, and schedule a VA psychiatric examination if necessary.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes were denied as the required VA examinations were not conducted due to the veteran's failure to appear without good cause.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not warrant a rating higher than 50 percent, and his cervical spine disability does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The VA granted the veteran's claim for service connection and assigned a 30 percent disability rating for PTSD, effective from May 14, 1997. The decision upheld the original rating.

The veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus, postoperative, is currently rated at 10 percent and has been increased to 20 percent. The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied because the actions of the VA staff anesthesiologist, while not part of standard care, do not constitute medical treatment or examination.

The Board has vacated its May 12, 2000 decision on the issue of increased rating for PTSD due to a motion based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE), but since there is no final decision, it does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits.

The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD effective December 28, 2001. The veteran's claim was reopened on new evidence and his PTSD symptoms were found to meet the criteria for such a high rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD warrants a 100 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the decision.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent prior to August 29, 2000 and 50 percent thereafter. The appeal has been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.

The veteran's claims for effective dates prior to January 31, 1991 for a 70 percent evaluation for generalized anxiety disorder with PTSD and a 30 percent evaluation for gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome with history of duodenal ulcer have been denied. The grant of TDIU and DEA eligibility was also granted effective January 31, 1991.

The veteran's appeal was denied for service connection of a low back disorder and for increased evaluations for PTSD, post-traumatic migraine headaches, tinnitus, residuals of a left knee injury with post-traumatic arthritis, status post excision of fibromatosis with residual scar, and mid-occipital scalp scar. The RO confirmed noncompensable ratings for hearing loss and scar, residual of a left temple gunshot wound.

The Board found that the veteran did not experience combat-related stressors during service, and there is no credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressors. Therefore, service connection for PTSD was denied.